From The Editors

Erie – like many other cities – has its fair share of woes. And like other Rust Belt cities, it's experiencing the growing pains that come with shedding its former industrial skin to blossom anew as industries evolve and times change.

But Erie – like many other cities – has much to celebrate. We have a vibrant arts scene, a robust population of talented musicians, and a dynamic food and drink landscape. Erie – we've argued time and again in these very pages – is capable of greatness because greatness exists here in its people, its places, its establishments, and its businesses.

Now it's time for you, Reader readers, to help us celebrate that, and to celebrate Erie.

We're proud to announce the launch of the official Best Of Erie: A collection of the best and brightest Erie has to offer – a list populated and voted on by you.

From Aug. 6 to Sept. 2, visit ErieReader.com and click the Best of Erie link to tell us who and what you think is worthy of being on the Best Of Erie Ballot for everyone to vote on. There, you'll find four main categories ranging from Goods & Services to Culture & Nightlife to Food & Drink to People & Places.

To nominate a business, establishment, person, or place, click the category and enter some simple information. So if you have a favorite Erie tattoo parlor or local place to buy books or music, nominate that place under the Goods & Services tab. Think you know the best place to catch a flick or know the best place to enjoy happy hour? Head to Culture & Nightlife. Enjoy drinking a local craft beer that you think is better than the rest or find that there's only one place to get Erie's best stuffed pretzel? Nominate them under the Food & Drink category. Want tell everyone who you think they should follow on Twitter in Erie or who should be crowned as our region's sustainability champ or where the best place in Erie to catch a sunset is? Head to the People & Places tab and nominate them.

These are just a few examples of the many things you'll find for which we're looking for your insight. To make things convenient, you can return to the nomination form at anytime before the nomination period ends without having to start over by simply entering the same email address you started with.

Once nominations close on Sept. 2, we'll open the voting polls and leave them open until Oct. 10 so that you can then vote for who you think is the Best Of Erie of all the nominees. We'll then feature the top three vote-getters in alphabetical order in our Best Of Erie Issue Oct. 15. As the voting process nears, we'll provide you with more details – just like we'll tell you about the party we'll be hosting in October to celebrate the Best of Erie, as well as the Best Of Erie winners issue, which we'll publish Oct. 29.

We get to have our say in each issue we publish and 24/7 at ErieReader.com, so this is your chance. Tell us who you think should win the title of Best Of in our inaugural Best Of Erie issue by making your nominations now, because without you, Reader readers, none of this – especially all of these great people, businesses, and establishments – wouldn't be possible and we'd have little to celebrate.

Best Of Luck, and happy nominating, Erie!